This isn’t the mayo-and-celery kind of chicken salad. It’s seared chicken on a bed of warm spinach with pomegranate and a bright lemon-honey dressing, and it all comes together in one skillet.
Why it works
The spinach goes into the skillet right after the chicken comes out. The leftover heat wilts it just enough, and it picks up the smoky paprika from the pan. The pomegranate seeds add crunch and little bursts of sweetness, and the lemon dressing keeps everything fresh.
Juicy chicken, every time
Two things make the difference. Pound the thick end of each breast so the whole piece cooks at the same speed, and take it off the heat as soon as the thickest part reaches 165 °F. Five minutes of rest on the cutting board keeps the juices in the meat instead of on the board.
Swaps and leftovers
- Use chicken thighs for an even juicier salad. They need a couple of minutes longer.
- Swap the pomegranate for dried cranberries or orange segments.
- Pecans or walnuts work just as well as the almonds.
- Leftover chicken makes a great lunch: pack it with the spinach and keep the dressing on the side.
Try it on this recipe card
- Author Links: The recipe credits a guest author, and the name links to their Instagram profile.
- Associating Ingredients with Instructions: The olive oil is used twice. Each step shows only its own share: 1 tbsp for the chicken, 3 tbsp for the dressing.
- Kitchen Timer: Start the timers for searing, resting and wilting right from the steps.
- Temperature Conversion: Switch to Metric and the target temperature in step 2 changes to °C.
Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2 large
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt plus a pinch for the dressing
- ½ tsp black pepper
Dressing and salad
- 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin, divided
- 2 tbsp lemon juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 6 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds from 1 pomegranate
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds toasted
Instructions
Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry. If the breasts are thicker than 3/4 inch on one end, pound them to an even thickness so they cook evenly. Mix the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and rub the mixture all over the chicken.1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until it reaches
165 °F in the thickest part.1 tbsp olive oil - Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice it into strips. Keep the skillet: you’ll use it for the spinach.
Dressing and salad
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Take the skillet off the heat. Add the spinach and toss it in the warm pan for 30 seconds, until it just starts to wilt.6 cups baby spinach
- Top the spinach with the sliced chicken, pomegranate seeds and almonds. Drizzle with the dressing and serve warm, right from the skillet.1 cup pomegranate seeds, 1/3 cup sliced almonds